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This posting is to alert you about scams that typically follow the aftermath of natural disasters. Please use caution when dealing with companies that show up at your home unannounced to provide services like roofing, tree service, debris removal… Do your homework and be certain that the company is bonded, insured and reputable. Never pay a company upfront for work, and be leary of those who request payment in cash. Also look for those who require no contracts or use high-pressure sales tactics to get you to use their company.

If you have any questions about the reputability of any company, please feel free to contact Sheriff Burkhalter at 706-314-6218 or email him at sherifftimb@gmail.com.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office is saddened today as they mourn the loss of their beloved K-9 Duke. On Friday, April 28th, Duke performed his last duty with the sheriff’s office doing one of the things he loved most, school demonstrations. The day after his last demonstration with the amazing children and staff at Alto Park Elementary Duke fell ill. Duke spent his final hours with his family- the Allred’s. Deputy Allred, Duke’s partner, held him in his arms until Duke’s watch ended at 1:50pm on April 30th.

On March 24, 2017, K-9 Duke was carried to West Rome Animal Clinic where he was diagnosed with an abdominal bleed. Duke underwent emergency surgery to remove a ruptured tumor from his spleen. The surgery went well and Duke recovered quickly.

A biopsy of the tumor was sent to the lab. Lab results indicated that the tumor was Hemangiosarcoma (Canine Cancer). Duke was referred to the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine Oncology Division. Oncologists at the University confirmed the diagnosis of malignant Hemangiosarcoma. At this point chemotherapy was ruled out as a viable treatment option.

Duke came home to Rome and was afforded the opportunity to do what he loved most, serve his community alongside of his Floyd County Sheriff’s Office family. He spent his last days doing his job as a Narcotics Detection K-9. Duke will be sorely missed by his family, the sheriff’s office and the community.

In June 2016 the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office initiated a thorough review of policies and procedures associated with suicide prevention. After experiencing an abnormal number of suicide related deaths in the jail in 2016 (two in one year), Sheriff Burkhalter and other administrators were determined to ensure that their staff were being properly trained and that policies aligned with national standards.

“We have always placed the highest priority on ensuring that we operate under the highest standards,” commented Sheriff Burkhalter. “Our stance is, and always has been, that not even one preventable death in the Floyd County Jail is acceptable. We have taken an oath to ensure the proper treatment of inmates and we will uphold that oath.”

In order to accomplish this task, the sheriff’s office sought the expertise of an outside source and engaged in a consultative relationship with Lindsay Hayes of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives. Mr. Hayes, an expert on suicides in jails and prisons, reviewed all policies and procedures associated with suicide for both the sheriff’s office and the jail’s contracted medical department. Hayes spent countless hours combing through policy, incident reports, medical records and various other documents of suicide attempts and completions that had taken place at Floyd County Jail. He also met with sheriff’s office administrators, staff, doctors and other jail medical providers. As a result of the consultation, the sheriff’s office implemented six hours of mandatory training in addition to other relevant in-service trainings. Mandatory training topics included suicide detection, suicide prevention, and basic lifesaving skills.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office has had much success in just a short period of time with the new training initiative implemented in January 2017. In the last 110 days, the sheriff’s office jail division has prevented five suicide attempts. Additionally, in the same timeframe, staff have provided close supervision to 116 inmates who were placed on suicide precautions. On Friday, April 21, 2017 the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff recognized 15 jail staff for their role in preventing the five in-progress suicides. Those recognized with Life Saving Awards were Jail Officers Brittany Barton, Generrow Bradley, Curtis Cordle, Cynthia Dotson, Christopher Dutton, Corey Peck, Brent McCrobie, and Marla Smith; Deputies Vincent Banks, Brandy Davenport, Jeffrey Jackson, Christopher Johnson and Tisha Owens; Corporal Tony Boston; and Sergeant Dawn Casey.

Floyd Against Drugs (FAD) and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office will be holding a drug drop off event at the Floyd County Jail on Saturday, April 8, 2017 from 9am- 12pm.

“America’s 12 to 17 year olds have made prescription drugs the number one substance of abuse for their age group, much of that supply is unwittingly coming from the medicine cabinets of their parents, grandparents, and friends,” stated Dale Brown, FAD board president. “Mobilizing Floyd County to work together to reduce the youth and adult use of drugs is at the heart of our mission at Floyd Against Drugs. It’s a privilege to work in partnership with the sheriff’s office on this event.”

The drug drop off event will allow the public to properly dispose of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications to keep them out of the wrong hands and local waterways. The drugs will be incinerated on site in the jail’s lower parking lot. The public is asked to bring drugs in a bag or other disposable container.

“I am not certain that the public truly understands the importance of properly disposing of both unused and expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs,” commented Corporal Carrie Edge, Public Information Officer. “The last drop we did in 2015 was quite successful. We incinerated over 154lbs of drugs. We hope to incinerate even more this year and urge the public to take full advantage of this opportunity.”

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office is a state prescription drug disposal location. Prescriptions can be disposed of any day in the designated drop box in the Booking Lobby. For more information about disposal locations visit www.stoprxabuseinga.org or contact the Sheriff’s Office at 706-291-4111. For more information about Floyd Against Drugs, visit www.romefloyd.com.